Energy efficient lighting pioneer BluGlass Ltd and Itochu Plastics Inc. (CIPS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Japanese trading company Itochu Corp. have signed a sales and distribution agreement. That means CIPS has won the sole rights to market BluGlass’s gallium nitride (GaN)-based LED manufacturing technology in Japan.

The BluGlass technology allows the production of GaN-based semiconductor wafers considerably cheaper than existing processes. GaN-based wafers are used in high performance LED general lighting devices for use in homes, offices and factories that are more energy efficient than traditional incandescent or fluorescent bulbs and tubes.

CIPS Executives visited BluGlass’s pilot manufacturing plant in late December before the distribution deal was signed. BluGlass CEO Giles Bourne said BluGlass was progressing well on its long-stated plan to commercialize the GaN technology, which was developed by scientists at Sydney’s Macquarie University.

BluGlass will sell their semiconductor manufacturing equipment to the Japanese market through Itochu. They are also hoping to negotiate strategic collaborations with Japanese corporations so that they can further develop uses for their technology.